1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of machine foot pedals, and, more specifically, to a multidirectionally adjustable foot pedal for attachment to industrial machines, such as sewing machines used in the garment industry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in manufacturing industries that workers become fatigued by necessarily maintaining a particular physical position at a work station for long periods of time. The worker's physical position is often necessitated by the nature of the work and the structure of the particular equipment required to accomplish a given task. With increasing fatigue there is of course a decrease in volume of production and an increase in numbers of errors, often leading to serious injury, as well as to production of unacceptable goods.
It is thus desirable that the worker be able to change positions from time to time as needed, and that the equipment used not limit the operator thereof from making such changes. It is especially desired that the individual worker be able to initially set the machine to be used to suit his or her physical needs, for example in regard to overall body size, leg length, etc., so that from the very beginning of the work day the operator's position is as close as possible to ideal for that particular individual, and to be able to rapidly and easily change machine positions during the work shift as needed because of discomfort, alterations in the work per se, or merely due to a shift change and a resultant change in operators for a particular machine. Thus rapid, simple adjustment of the foot pedals position relative to the seated or standing operator in both vertical and transverse positions, as well as with regard to starting angle, is highly desirable.
Heretofore foot pedals for sewing machines for domestic or industrial use have been known which provided some limited adjustability, to differing degrees of satisfaction. In some cases movement of the pedal or treadle is possible only in one direction, such as side to side, and often the adjustment of the pedal is accomplished completely by time-consuming and cumbersome manual methods, sometimes requiring the use of tools and disassembly of the machine. Following are some examples of previously patented pedals for sewing machine operation.
In 1942 U.S. Pat. No. 2,279,587 issued to Chason for a light-weight sheet metal treadle for use with either foot powered or electric sewing machines. The treadle was rockably mounted on a cross bar which is immovably fixed at the base of a sewing machine table, thus completely preventing forward and back, and vertical movement. Moreover, the treadle was attached to the cross bar so as to prevent axial (side to side relative to the operator) movement of the treadle.
A later patent issued to Hermanns (U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,222) for a foot operated sewing machine treadle which provided very limited front to back adjustment of the treadle by manipulation of a screw and slot arrangement situated near the floor, beneath the pedal proper. This step is quite awkward, time-consuming, and may require a significant degree of strength on the part of the operator to release the adjustment screw from its lock washer. Also, no vertical alteration of position is possible with the Hermanns device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,662, which issued to Abate et al discloses foot switch mounting brackets for electric sewing machines which provide only manual, side to side adjustment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,473, which issued to Torre teaches a sewing machine bench with paired foot pedals fixed to a support plate which is laterally rotatable and in relation to the operator's seat by manually positioning a screw into one of a series of threaded holes. This pedal device can also be adjusted to and away from the operator on cross-pieces which interconnect the upright supports of the bench at the ends near the floor. However, this forward and back movement is accomplished by manually removing and replacing four screws which connect the support plate to the cross pieces.
Thus there has long been a need for a foot treadle for industrial sewing machines which is adapted for automatic, push button, fine adjustment in multiple directions.